


After the trouble with Edward

by TFALokiwriter



Category: Star Trek: Short Treks (TV 2018)
Genre: Gen, Post-Episode: s02e02 The Trouble With Edward, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-20 22:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21064292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: Sarah visits Lynne for a much needed discussion after the admiralty's inquiry.





	After the trouble with Edward

Lynne came to the door of her temporary Starfleet assigned quarters then linked her hands behind her back once setting in the access grant to her door system. When the door opened, she was greeted by the familiar Trill in casual wear that contrasted against the uniform she had last seen the woman in weeks ago. A dark purple tank top that contrasted against the bright pink long yoga pants that ended above the ankles and wrist bands that sparkled from the specks of rain.

"Sarah," Lynne said. "What brings you here? How did you find me?"

"Heard you had a tough time with the admiralty," Sarah unlinked a hand from behind her back. "I brought some of the recommended drinks. . . And it has a little thing to do with Captain Pike."

"Is that Picard Wine?" Lynne asked.

"It is," Sarah said. "I am under the impression it comes in handy for attending important events in a human's life."

"Come in," Lynne stepped aside.

"Did they believe you?" Sarah walked in and the door closed behind.

"I don't know," Lynne put the basket on to the table then faced the trill. "Maybe not." She had a small shrug. "My first command failed miserably. Lost a entire ship to Tribbles. Lost a entire planet because of them," she shook her head taking the bottle out of the basket. "A nightmare."

"There are people who have done worse," Sarah said,

"I doubt it," Lynne took out two cups from the basket.

Sarah snickered lowering her gaze toward the floor then lifted her attention up following Lynne into the apartment

"The first captain of a fleet ship introduced Airplane by accident to a civilization that had just invented moving pictures and by the following week. . ."

Lynne stopped in her tracks facing the trill.

"What happened?" Lynne asked, curious.

"Crazy things were happening. You could be standing in the street and find a light on someones face. Think it was the moonlight." She shook her head. "No, it was a personal lighting crew. Someone walked around as death and 'wormed' their way to situations that were so life threatening that it seemed that Death was really with them." They sat down into the chairs across from the kitchen at the dining table. "Their logic became extremely flawed. Amusing, but . . . very innocent. And it matched their unique properties."

"Unique properties, Lieutenant?" Lynne asked.

"As in skin of iron and capable of extending parts of themselves into different forms," Sarah elaborated,

"Sounds like they are shapeshifters," Lynne laughed.

"To this day, that is what Admiral T'Pol says about them," Sarah said with a equally amused matching grin. "As always, Admiral Archer was warned about it and he didn't listen to her."

"Did they go any hard on you?" Lynne said.

"I have been around for hundreds of years, Lynne," Sarah said, with a tilt of her head, incredulously. "Being pressed with questions is hardly a strain on me. I have been asked more hardball and unexpected questions by my people as part of the first members, but disguised as a human, on the NX Columbus."

"You did what?" Lynne set down a couple of glasses. "How long have Trill been in our system?"

"We were curious," Sarah said. "We weren't breaching the prime directive by studying you."

"Sarah," Lynne said.

"Since 1966," Sarah said. "I was one of the first to come. You do make a interesting and compelling people to watch explode."

"Is our drama that oscar worthy?" Lynne asked, staring back at Sarah, slowly blinking.

"Ah, yes," Sarah admitted. "You think it was easy to establish first contact? It wasn't. Our members lived among you for so long that they forgot they weren't human. It wasn't until the 22nd century that we established contact. . . and stopped listening into the gossiping mill regarding Earth politics."

"What was it like watching all those turmoil?" Lynne sat down at the table and poured a glass for her friend.

"Amusing," Sarah laughed. "Not as amusing as that incident with Edward."

"Cuddly, adorable, and cute but deadly," Lynne leaned forward, her elbows on the table, thinking it over. "Did I miss anything? Asides to. . ." she held her glass up. "Being a idiot."

"Human men are prone to being idiots like human women," Sarah answered, reassuringly. "You didn't miss a bubble. He overreacted." Lynne took a sip from her glass. "I have seen this often with human men being threatened by women taking over leadership roles and feel insecure over it."

"Did any of them do stupid like Edward?" Lynne asked, raising her brows.

"Yes," Sarah said. "Got their lives ruined over their mistake." Sarah looked up in concern. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible," Lynne said. "My first command might be my last."

"There are other commands that could be available for you," Sarah suggested.

"I could be reassigned to a rehabilitation center," she combed her hand through her hair. "A geological survey, a passenger ship that ferries diplomats on a lucky day, mining freighter, be discharged, or . . . ." she cupped the side of her face looking on toward Sarah. "Be demoted a couple ranks and assigned to a ship like the Farragut." she combed through her short hair a second time. "Could very well reassign my career track from command to science or security. I doubt the admiralty will trust me as a commander because of this."

"Whatever it is," Sarah said. "Wherever you go, and whatever happens to you. . ." She reached forward and squeezed Lynne's hand in reassurance. "I am sure you will be good at it."

"If not better at it," Lynne leaned back into the chair then rubbed her forehead with both hands. She put her hands into her lap. "Maybe those tribbles aren't a trouble at all in my career," a eased smile replaced the concern and dread on her facial features. "They are guiding stones to where I _need_ to be in Starfleet. Always learning something new in Starfleet."

Sarah agreed with a nod.

"So," Sarah started a new trail of thought. "Their decision."

"Due to be handed out by this Friday," Lynne said.

"Scared?" Sarah asked. 

"Worried," Lynne took a long gulp of her glass then put it on to the table. She faced her former lieutenant with a smile. "Not scared."

"Uh huh," Sarah said, skeptically. 

"What?" Lynne asked. "You don't believe me."

"Unlike them," Sarah said. "Do you have a replicator set for ice cream?"

". . . Yes," Lynne said.

"Here is my comn number," she slid the comn on the table. "If you need a friend for that rainy day, I will be right there," Lynne installed the number on to her comn then glanced up toward Sarah. "Nothing that won't intervene in my day. My days on Earth are pretty unscheduled."

Lynne slid the comn back toward Sarah.

"Compared to science-ing on a ship?"

Sarah chuckled in response to Lynne's comment.

"Science is unscheduled," Sarah said. "We made a great discovery. And a bad one. Before you know it," she snapped her fingers leaning against the chair. "In the blink of a eye," she laid her arm on the arm rest. "Edward's Tribble strain will have gone extinct."

"Amen to that," Lynne said. Lynne wanted to finish but the words didn't want to come out the way that she wanted them to. "You didn't have to come after me." she played with her fingers then looked up toward Sarah. "Why did you come over?"

Sarah stared back at Lynne for a long moment.

"Because I find you a very interesting and promising person, Lynne," Sarah said. "Personally. So does my companion."

"So you are both fond of me," Lynne said.

"Not every day do I find a memorable human who I know for two weeks be the catalyst for a idiot to make a pregnant toupee that trills like a cat," Sarah said. "Fondness is a understatement. Admiration, respect, and a liking."

She held up her glass with a smile.

"That I have." Sarah took a sip then lowered the glass on to the table. "I have faith in your career continuing and making history for the galaxy. These tribbles aren't a footnote. They're going to have their own complicated chapter in the federation's history book."

"Captain Lynne Lucero's science officer, Edward Parkin, genetically modified a weak and slowly breeding creature called the _Tribleustes ventricosus_ for the sake of a civilization that needed food," Lynne said. "Unfortunately, he added his DNA into it. He was killed by the new Tribble strain created aboard the USS Cabot." Lynne said. "One hell of a first chapter."

Sarah poured another glass of wine for the two of them.

"One hell of a pretty fancy legacy," Sarah said. "You won't be forgotten so easily."

"To the future," their drinks clunk together then they both took a sip. "The future."

**The End. **


End file.
